What is GP research?

#GPFUQ 134 Whats the difference between research, evaluation, and audit ? Research - generates new knowledge (see #GPFUQ 136). Evaluation - answers the question 'what standard does this service achieve?' Audit - answers the question 'Does this service reach the set standard?'

#GPFUQ 135 Whats the difference between innovation, improvement and invention? Innovation is doing something different and better and usually using a novel idea or method whilst improvement is doing the same thing better. Invention is the creation of the idea or method. 

#GPFUQ 136 What is GP research? Research finds out what we ought to do when the existing knowledge can’t give a clear answer. It’s the attempt to derive generalisable new knowledge by addressing clearly defined questions using systematic and rigorous methods. Clinical research is based primarily on patients or ex-patients and designed to answer a question about disease (aetiology, concomitants, diagnosis, prevention, outcome or treatment). There are two main types of research in primary care, commercial (or industry) and non-commercial (or academic). Non-commercial research is usually funded by the NHS, research councils, charities or grant giving bodies and covers a wide range of activities motivated by knowledge rather than commercial gain. Commercial research is usually funded by pharmaceutical companies undertaking clinical trials of new medicines.

#GPFUQ 137 What should be the research priorities in GP? Find the most effective ways to improve processes and outcomes, and reduce unnecessary interventions.

#GPFUQ 138 What is GP Educational research? This is like a forgotten Cinderella that is waiting a makeover and an invitation to the ball for improving quality of teaching and learning. Too many educational processes are based on the mistake of ‘trying to fill buckets’ with information rather than ‘lighting a fire’ of learning. The literature has too many studies that are observational, address only local questions, are small scale, repetitive, lack any theoretical basis, and do not build on the knowledge base. In planning a project it’s helpful to start by writing a ten sentence abstract of the completed project that includes the practical problem that you are trying to solve, the theoretical problem you are trying to solve (the theory should include an explanation a prediction and a testable hypothesis), the methodology (what data is needed, is there a defined outcome, where is the data obtained, how is it collected, how many subjects, how is the data recorded and stored), the analysis (how will the results be analysed) and the findings (what do you expect to find including the practical and theoretical implications).